Worms and is this a healthy liver?

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ek.blair

ek.blair

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OK, I butchered a few older Silver Fox (approx. 6mo) that I was growing out specifically for their hides (we didn't consume the meat), and of the few that I went ahead and gutted to check their health I found a few things...

These are pretty obviously worms that are in the colon with the little bunny berries. My buns are in hanging cages, but I suppose they could get them from the local hay I feed?
Can I give pumpkin seeds to my breeders and other grow outs to take care of these?
worms.JPG

And then this is the liver... is the lighter sort of mottled look to it wrong? If it doesn't look healthy has anyone ever seen this and what could cause it?
liver.JPG
 
Looks just like the pin worms Smara and I found inside kits from a certain doe.
There were visible worms were seen on their pelts after processing (I wasn't there at the time, so I didn't get pics of the worms outside the rabbits. I only saw the worms in the intestines.

I've never seen where pumpkin seeds are said to treat pin worms specifically.
(They are said to be effective on roundworms and tapeworms)

I took the doe home and treated her with (raw organic) pumpkin seeds just to see what would happen, she gained a lot of healthy weight. I've butchered two litters from her and never saw any evidence of worms in the fryers intestines again. She's back with Smara now, and still in good flesh. :shrug:
 

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:D Glad to help! I just learned this myself in class :oops: we where learning about different endoparasites and ectoparasites and I got stuck with the pinworm to make a report on. Along with the Coccidia parasite.
 
I had pinworms here once also. I didn't treat with pharmaceuticals, but did give the herd raw pumpkin seeds and never saw the pinworms in any other rabbits I processed- and my episode was nearly three years ago.

pinworms-graphic-gut-photos-t8694.html

Zass":g4w69bq9 said:
Sagebrush wrote:pin worms are a type of round worm.



Thanks!!! I didn't know that.
Click to expand...

Sagebrush":g4w69bq9 said:
I just learned this myself in class :oops: we where learning about different endoparasites and ectoparasites and I got stuck with the pinworm to make a report on. Along with the Coccidia parasite.
Click to expand...

Boy, Sagebrush- you are getting so edumicated that we are going to have to start paying you for your medical advice! :money:

ek.blair":g4w69bq9 said:
And then this is the liver... is the lighter sort of mottled look to it wrong? If it doesn't look healthy has anyone ever seen this and what could cause it?
Click to expand...

Yes, yes, and no. I don't know what causes it, but have seen it. The meat is still safe, though- or at least I can say we aren't dead yet, and we have eaten plenty from buns that had livers like that.
 
The mottled livers could be indicative of some metabolic issues. The body starts breaking down fat and the fat gets filtered into the liver where it sticks, causing fatty livers. I personally will not eat any livers that are like what you have pictured. <br /><br /> -- Mon Mar 30, 2015 9:42 pm -- <br /><br />
Boy, Sagebrush- you are getting so edumicated that we are going to have to start paying you for your medical advice! :money:
Click to expand...

NO need for that MSD :D I am here to help. ;)
 
Honestly, if I were to see any obvious sign of parasites (in any species) I do a chemical deworrming. I think natural methods are helpful for prevention but that looks like a pretty bad infestation and I would pull out the big guns.
 
dangerbunny":lvw7ww5i said:
Honestly, if I were to see any obvious sign of parasites (in any species) I do a chemical deworrming. I think natural methods are helpful for prevention but that looks like a pretty bad infestation and I would pull out the big guns.
Click to expand...

What can I get to deworm them with? <br /><br /> -- Tue Mar 31, 2015 6:35 am -- <br /><br />
Sagebrush":lvw7ww5i said:
The mottled livers could be indicative of some metabolic issues. The body starts breaking down fat and the fat gets filtered into the liver where it sticks, causing fatty livers. I personally will not eat any livers that are like what you have pictured.
Click to expand...
They did have a very large amount of fat in the intestines... even for how many bones I felt on a few of them (over their spines) there was a lot of internal fat... I was feeding BOSS during the colder winter months. Is it possible that the worms were causing their condition to be that degraded? Not very fleshy and too much internal fat.
 
The pin worm infection will cause the rabbits body to start storing fat as a direct result to not getting enough energy from thier food. The pin worms will pull the nutrients out of the food before the rabbit can. As a result the rabbits body starts breaking down the fat to get the energy the body needs to stay alive. When the fat doesn't give enough energy the body starts breaking down the muscles. In essence the rabbit is starved by the worms.
 
I use safeguard (fenbendazole) horse dewormer twice a year. Two peas sized doses a week apart. It's a paste that smells like apples and most of my buns will eat it off the dispenser. The ones that don't I just wipe it on their lips and they clean it off. Got mine at Pet Zoo just FYI. There are several brands that contain the fenbendazole, not sure if it is specific for pin worms. Hope this helps!
 
I guess any rabbits are susceptible to worms... is it good practice to occasionally treat for worms, even if your rabbits don't go outside? They do eat grass hay. I guess it might be good to occasionally give them pumpkin seeds? Ivermectin?
 
I use chemical deworming in addition to good sanitation, nutrition and preventatives like pumpkin seeds. I feed mine forage and hay so do chemical deworming at least twice a year, alternating with Fenbendazole and Ivermectrin. They can pick parasites up off the show table as well as off grass so I feel prevention is a good practice. For pinworms you want Fenbendazole and it is a multi day treatment, I use the liquid safeguard as it is easier and more precise to administer the correct amount.

I use the dosage recommendations from this page: http://luvlops.com/care/needs/
 
Will have to get pumpkin seeds now, has anyone tried GSE (Grapefruit Seed Extract) to treat parasites?
 

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